Garrie, Thanks for the information. Looks like you're reaping the rewards for years of work. And what a wonderful reward it will be.

Your story made me feel a lot better about editing my novel for six years or so. I also have a sequel that is kind of limping along. Not sci fi, more a woman's novel. Sort of a love story, but not a romance. People say it's funny and poignant with a little adventure thrown in.

I'm afraid there is no genre for it except mainstream which I understand is almost impossible to break into. Oh well. I just keep thinking how much fun it was to write. Sending it out is a huge hurdle.

I'm still not clear on the part about what you sent out when you weren't entering a contest though. I mean to the folks who rejected it. Did you send a query, synopsis, chapters, or all of the above? And did you send it to publishers or to agents??

Sounds like the publication actually came from a contest. Makes me want to enter more contests. I have avoided them in the past.

Thanks again and Keep up the good work. We'll see a whole shelf of Barnes and NOble filled with your books and people waiting in line to buy them.

Our own J.K. Rowling!!

smile